Promises
by wotan
Summary: Harry learns the true meaning of a promise - one for the 'tons' of Ginny fans out there


I offer this by way of apology for Thoughts, though if you enjoy a sad story, you might want to read Thoughts as well :)

Thanks to my indefatigable proof-reader, Minx, yet again. She sees things I never would.

Promises.

It was the start of a new year - his fifth at Hogwarts - and it wasn't going to be as much fun as last year, Harry decided. That had been obvious on the train. Ron and Hermione were all over each other. He had a feeling he wasn't going to see quite as much of them as before. Still good luck to them - they spent so much time fighting and arguing that they just had to be meant for one another!

I'd better throw myself into my work, he decided, sighing at the thought of it. Or into Quidditch. Harry brightened. Quidditch - why not? There was a lot he could do to improve his technique. And Gryffindor would need a new captain some day! The prospect was appealing. No time like the present. He ran upstairs, grabbed his Firebolt and some practice snitches, and hurried off out. There was a good hour of daylight left.

He sprinted down to the Quidditch pitch, but as he neared the stands, he slowed. A familiar figure was sitting there. She was looking at the pitch and had her back to him. Grinning to himself, he wondered if he could sneak up on her. As he got closer he stopped, realising he would make too much noise if he walked across the seats. Still, when you've got a Firebolt …

Harry mounted and kicked off. A couple of low circles to settle himself and then he flew carefully through the stands, just a few feet above the seats. Slowing to a crawl, he inched up and hovered just behind her.

"Boo!"

Ginny leapt up, nearly falling into the row in front. She turned, eyes wide - and then glared at him.

"Evening" said Harry trying, unsuccessfully, not to laugh.

"I'll get you for that!" said Ginny crossly.

"You and whose army?"

"Don't laugh Harry, you gave me such a fright."

"Sorry." He grinned as Ginny plonked herself on a seat. 

"Mind if I sit down?" he asked politely.

"Suit yourself. I'm still going to get you. And that's a promise."

He sat beside her, still grinning, and nudged her. "Come on - give me a smile."

Ginny sighed exasperatedly - and then half-smiled at him. "That was a rotten trick. I thought I was all alone out here. I thought I'd hear anybody coming a mile off."

"Not when I'm on good old Silver" said Harry, patting his Firebolt.

"Silver? That's not what you call it is it?" she asked incredulously.

"Nope. Just made it up."

Ginny giggled. They sat in silence for a while, watching swallows catching insects and darting through the Quidditch hoops

"So, what are you doing here?" said Harry finally.

"Oh, I just like to … just sit by myself, sometimes. And remember how …" She stopped.

"Remember how what?" said Harry.

"How, er, how Gryffindor, er, won various games."

"Gin, I didn't realise you were interested in Quidditch. Brilliant! I'm here to practise. You can throw some snitches for me." He pulled a canvas sack of training snitches from around his neck and handed it to her.

"Oh, right. Er, what do I do?" asked Ginny.

"Just take them out one at a time. Don't let them get away. Then hurl them into the sky. I'll chase them. When I catch them they go 'dead'. I'll drop them back to you and you can launch another one."

"All right." She smiled at him.

Harry shot up into the air. Ginny clambered down over the seats to the pitch and started throwing the snitches for him. She watched as he wheeled around the sky, now climbing slowly, now diving towards the ground at breakneck speed. Several times she screwed her eyes up, just as she did at real matches. Just as she'd been doing when he'd caught her reliving some of his finest moments. Not that she could ever admit that to him. Nor to anybody else.

It was fun for the first dozen snitches, but then her arm began to ache. And the sack still seemed full. Harry showed no signs of wanting to stop. She gritted her teeth and carried on throwing. If nothing else, it was interesting watching him from below!

She threw another snitch - it went all of three feet into the air and then shot under the stands.

"Gin! What are you doing?" shouted Harry, from high above her.

Ginny dropped the sack and sank to the ground. Harry floated down and landed beside her.

"I'm tired. I can't throw any more Harry."

"Oh? Okay, let's have a rest. And then you'll throw all the better." Ginny suppressed a groan, and nodded.

Harry flopped back on the grass and lay looking up at the sky. Ginny sat and hugged her knees, trying to avoid looking directly at him, though she very much wanted to. He never took any notice of her, not really - she was just Ron's little sister. Just somebody who was around, but who wasn't anybody. In spite of the balmy evening she shivered.

"Cold?" said Harry, sitting up.

"No, it's okay, I …"

"Here" said Harry. He picked up his cloak and flicked it around her. As he fastened it at the neck, his hand brushed against her cheek. A shiver ran through her again, but this time of pleasure.

"Harry, I'm okay, I'm not cold."

"You'll need it. Trust me." He pulled his jumper on.

Ginny looked quizzically at him.

"Ever ridden a Firebolt?" he asked. There was a big grin on his face.

"No … I'm not sure I could control it. I wouldn't be used to it. I don't think I'd better try."

Harry swung his leg over the Firebolt and hovered a few inches off the ground. He dipped the back of the broom.

"Hop on Gin."

She stared and then jumped on, feeling herself going pink. Luckily Harry couldn't see her.

"Put your arms around me. Hold on tight. And lean into the turns."

She wrapped her arms around him, trembling - surely he must feel it? There was a sudden jerk as the broom rocketed into the sky. She closed her eyes and hung on for all she was worth. They began a long slow turn, so she opened her eyes and told herself to relax - if you're stiff you'll unbalance the broom. Harry flew steadily along and then, somehow, came to a dead-stop in the air.

"Seeker's Hover" he yelled, half-turning to her. "Are you holding on?"

"Yes" shouted Ginny, tightening her grip, wondering why she couldn't do this to him when they were on solid ground. Except in her dreams.

The broom leapt forward. Her old Comet could never do this. The broom kept accelerating and then suddenly Harry dived it towards the ground, pulling out at the last moment. Then they were climbing vertically, then another dive, faster than the first. She screamed with delight - the speed was exhilarating! They headed skywards once more and then levelled off. And then they were upside down, right-way up, upside down, cork-screwing their way towards the ground. Ginny shut her eyes tightly - slow climbs and gentle dives were all she'd ever done. Up they hurtled once more and then, steady level flight. She opened her eyes and realised they were heading away from the castle, towards Lake Wood. Dare she lay her head against his back?

As they flew along, skimming the tree-tops, Ginny saw that Harry was heading for a small conical hill that stuck out above the wood. A square stone tower sat on top of the hill. Harry circled the tower and then dropped gently down to the ground. Ginny slid off the broom, her legs shaking. Harry stood grinning at her.

"Enjoy it?"

"It was brilliant Harry. Scary, but wonderful!" She flopped to the ground and then unbuckled the cloak and let it fall around her. Harry sat down, avoiding the cloak. Ginny smiled to herself - he was as shy as she was!

"Where are we?" she asked. "I've never seen this tower before."

"You can't see it from the ground, unless you're very close to it. The trees hide it. This is Watch Hill - and that's the Watch Tower. I found it one day when I was scooting about on the 'stick. Hagrid told me all about it when I asked him."

"It's very peaceful Harry. Sort of sleepy, as if it's seen many things and now it just wants to rest."

"Yeah, it is quiet. And very old too. I sometimes come here, just to be, well, alone." He coloured slightly.

Ginny smiled gently. "I know what you mean. Sometimes I want to hide away from everybody too. And that's not easy in a boarding school, especially with the world's supply of brothers always on hand." She rolled her eyes and sighed. Fred and George had been particularly tiresome over the summer and would doubtless continue so.

"Well now you know about it, I hereby grant you permission to visit _my_ hill whenever you like!"

"Are we supposed to fly this far out?"

"Probably not" grinned Harry. "But they can't hang you for it. And they've got to catch you first."

"So it's _our_ hill is it?" asked Ginny teasingly.

"I guess" said Harry, shrugging.

She realised he'd completed missed her point! She giggled.

"What?" asked Harry, puzzled.

"Nothing. I wonder what they used to watch for, from the tower?"

"They didn't watch from the tower - they watched the tower" said Harry knowingly.

"Huh?"

"Dark Magic is nothing new. There were evil wizards long before Voldemort. And some of them made him look like a beginner. Back in the 1200s there was some nutter called Morthog running around. He killed a lot of people, both Muggles and wizards, before they finally caught him. Somebody built this tower, surrounded it with charms and then locked Morthog up in it. Hagrid says the idea was to let him see all the land he thought he was going to conquer, but now never would. Just to drive him mad I guess. They set wizard guards all around it, who watched him until he died of old age. That was on September 2nd 1300."

"Harry, that's … that's today, that's exactly 700 years ago" said Ginny in hushed tones.

"Yeah, I suppose it is. Spooky! I wonder if he haunts the place? Hagrid says his bones are still in there, at the bottom of the tower, buried in the rubble of the collapsed floors. I've never been inside. Let's go and have a look."

"No way" said Ginny.

"Come on" said Harry, holding out his hand.

Reluctantly, Ginny let him pull her up and drag her towards the tower. They walked around it and found a hole in the wall. It looked like it had once been a doorway. The sun was low in the sky and it was grey inside the tower, but they could just make out a mass of rubble and a few fallen oak beams still half-supporting lumps of masonry.

"Right, we've seen it, let's go back" said Ginny.

"I'm going in to see if there are any bones" said Harry, grinning.

"You are not. Seven hundred years to the day since Morthog died? Seven is a very magical number you know. Things might happen today … don't invite trouble Harry. Let's fly back now. Please."

"Coming?" said Harry, scrambling into the tower.

"No" said Ginny, shaking her head.

Harry rummaged around inside, turning over the rubble. He'd no idea what he was looking for. He was sure there were no bones - he'd only suggested it to scare Ginny a little! Which was a bit stupid, he realised now. And why did he want to scare her anyway? She was nice enough. True, she was just Ron's little sister, but … well, she seemed to have grown up quite a bit over the summer. And she seemed to like Quidditch. So …

Movement in the far corner of the tower made him start. Something glowing was rising out of the rubble. He stared. The glow got larger and more intense, filling the inside of the tower with a sickly green light. And then the glow spoke.

"Who dares trespass in my bed-chamber?"

Harry gripped his wand and started to move slowly back towards the doorway.

"Speak, lest thou anger me further. Speak! I command it!"

"I'm Harry Potter. Who are you?" It seemed trite, but nothing else sprang to mind.

"Who am I?" boomed the voice. "I am Morthog! Know this and tremble."

The trembling bit is easy enough thought Harry as his legs shook. He inched his wand out, wondering if he'd have to fight. Perhaps he could just run and grab the Firebolt and … Ginny, where was she? Had she heard this? She'd be terrified. Could he get her onto the broom or would she be frozen with fear? She would. He'd have to fight. He raised his wand.

"You challenge Morthog? Gryffindor's knights could not slay me. What canst thou do?"

"I've fought Dark Wizards before - and won" said Harry defiantly.

"You have not battled me. I can destroy you as easily as I wouldst squash a flea. You have but one chance for thy puny life."

"And that is?" asked Harry cautiously.

"The fair maiden ..."

"No! You're not getting her" he shouted, realising Morthog meant Ginny. He held his wand higher.

"I do not wish to harm her. I only wish for her … for her to have a regular supply of Chocolate Frogs. And help with her Potions homework. Dost thou grant this?"

"What?" said Harry, dropping his wand-arm. As he watched, the green glow did a loop-the-loop and vanished under a beam. A hollow giggling filled the tower. Harry turned bright-red as he realised what had happened - and what he'd said. He stormed out of the tower and around to the front.

Ginny was wearing his cloak, holding it out as she twirled around. She was grinning from ear to ear.

"Ha-ha" said Harry.

"I told you I'd get you" said Ginny, smiling at him.

"Right. You did promise. How did you do that?"

"Just a bit of magical ventriloquism. Fred taught me once, so we could spook Percy. There's a small slit at the front of the tower. It made a nice booming sound didn't it? And one of Hermione's portable fires - she taught me how to conjure them up last year. I made it green, just for effect."

"It was floating."

"Honestly Harry, Wingardium Leviosa, even you must remember that. And flames don't weigh much."

"Yeah." He sank to the ground.

Ginny crossed her arms, enveloping herself in his cloak. She put her head on one side and smiled gently at him. Poor Harry! And he had been prepared to defend her. Against Morthog! So … she sat down beside him. And nudged him.

"Come on - give me a smile!"

Harry sighed - and then turned and grinned at her. "How are you getting back to the castle? It's a long walk."

"Harry! You wouldn't? I won't tell anybody what happened. It'll be our secret."

"Promise?"

"Promise" said Ginny softly. "Our secret, our hill."

"Deal!"

They sat quietly once more, watching the sun set. Ginny broke the silence.

"Why did you show me your hill Harry?"

"I don't know. I … I think I just wanted to share it with somebody."

"That's very sweet of you" said Ginny. "I don't think anybody has ever shared anything important with me before." She looked down at the ground to hide her blushes.

Harry stared up at the sky, wondering what he'd just done.

There was a loud crash from inside the tower. They both jumped up. Another crash. Ginny flung her arms around Harry, a strange look on her face.

"It's okay" said Harry. "I disturbed stuff when I was in there. It's just something falling down or whatever."

"Maybe" said Ginny nervously.

"You can let go of me if you want" said Harry, chuckling.

"I don't want" said Ginny, hesitantly, looking up at him.

Oh thought Harry, swallowing hard. He looked at her, realising he'd never really noticed her before. Her hair seemed to be glowing ruby-red in the last rays of the setting sun. She'd done something to it since last term, he was sure, though he wasn't too sure what. But it looked nice. And she had grown somewhat - she wasn't just Ron's little sister any more. Not that it was any of Ron's business anyway, he decided. A tingle ran through him and before he could stop himself, he wrapped his arms around her and squeezed her gently. More tingles followed.

"That's nice Harry" whispered Ginny. She lay her head against his chest and closed her eyes. 

Harry didn't know if he was supposed to say something or not, so he opted for silence and squeezed her a little more tightly, noticing for the first time her nice, warm, freshly-washed smell. He was starting to understand what people saw in this. He ran a hand slowly up her back and into her long hair, letting his fingers tangle in it.

Ginny tightened her grip around his waist, pulling herself as close as possible to him. She could feel his breathing. It had been slow and rhythmical to start with, but now it was getting a little faster, a little more erratic. Like hers. She looked up at him, uncertain what to do next. And then she decided …

"You can kiss me if you want Harry."

Harry looked at her awkwardly. She felt so soft and warm in his arms. He'd never kissed a girl before, but he knew now he wanted to kiss Ginny, more than anything else in the world. His hands came up onto her shoulders, and then he bent and kissed her lightly on the forehead. He drew back, still looking at her, knowing that that wasn't how he wanted to kiss her. He ran his hands up and down her arms.

Ginny bit her lip and held his gaze, marvelling at his piercing green eyes. Then, suddenly, Harry gripped her tightly, pulled her forwards and kissed her full on the lips, gently to begin with, then harder and more passionately. Joy flooded through Ginny. After three long years of waiting and silly blushes and embarrassing Valentines … the kiss seemed to last forever and she felt as if she was burning up from the inside out. Finally they broke apart.

They stood smiling happily at one another. His arms encircled her and they hugged.

"Lucky that stuff fell down inside the tower" said Harry, swaying her gently from side to side.

"Isn't it" said Ginny, trying to commit every moment to memory. Amazing what you can do with a well-placed magical fire, she thought to herself. I told you I'd get you Harry. And I never break a promise!

T H E E N D


End file.
